Art

Meet the Art Teacher

Greetings! I am Ms. Amanda, and this is my second year teaching art at McDonald International Elementary. In addition to creating with students and building our art program here at McDonald, I have been working at the district level to implement the new Washing State Arts Learning Standards across and build a standards-based scope and sequence for the arts in SPS.

In 2015, I graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Art Education and minors in English and French. I spent my student teaching internship at the International Bilingual School of Provence, in Aix en Provence France, where I got to work with students and teachers from all over the world. My favorite art mediums are printmaking and fibers/fabrics. I also love art history!

When I’m not at school, I can be found making art, embroidering, reading books, visiting art museums, hiking and traveling.

You can keep up with your students art projects and learning on Artsonia and by following the McDonald International Art Instagram, @mcd_intl_art.

Art Studio Goals

Democratic Studio Practices

This year, one of my goals is to foster greater student leadership and collaborative problem-solving in the art studio. In working towards this goal, we are spending much of the first month of school working on building community, developing art studio agreements and establishing responsibility and accountability. Students hold art studio meetings and collaborate to develop agreements on how to treat each other and take care of our community. Students also nominate their peers for jobs each trimester.

Through these jobs, our student-leaders hold each other accountable for taking care of the art studio and materials, upholding art studio agreements, and making sure all learners get what they need to learn and create.

Perseverance & Growth Mindset Art isn’t always easy. Certain projects or mediums might really challenge us. In Studio 205, students are encouraged to embrace these experiences, because we know that we learn the most from our challenges and mistakes. This year we will be working hard to develop a positive attitude and growth mindset towards the art-making process. We will be celebrating every happy little accident and “beautiful oops".

Craftsmanship

The art we make will not always be masterpieces. Some projects will be more successful than others and some drawings won’t be perfect. However, we can always put forth our best effort to create something with quality craftsmanship. In Studio 205, we really emphasize taking our time and working carefully to have good craftsmanship.

Critical Thinking

Art isn’t just about making beautiful drawings and paintings. It is also an important lens for understanding and responding to the world around us! In addition to making work in Studio 205, we will also spend some time reflecting and talking about the art that we study and create.

What’s Up Next?

To kick of the year in studio 205, the whole school will be doing a unit of study on art activism. Students will be investigating different art movements and creating to explore the questions: How can art positively impact the world? How can art make the world a better place? How can art spark change? Different grade levels will be studying works by different artists, from street artists like Shepard Fairey, JR and 281 Anti Nuke, to performance and project-based artists like Yoko Ono.

Questions You May Have

Q: How will you be communicating with McDonald families? A: The best way to know what’s going on in art class is to set up your family’s Artsonia account. Artsonia is an online portfolio system that I use to archive and assess student work. It is also a fantastic fundraiser. Student names and information are kept confidential to the public, but the site allows you to share your child’s artwork with other family members so they can view and comment on art projects, even from across the globe. You can also purchase merchandise featuring your child’s artwork. These items make great gifts and Artsonia offers a wide selection, from t-shirts and mugs, to quilts and phone cases. The best part is, 20% of your purchase goes towards our art program!

Another easy way to get art program updates, is to follow our school’s art Instagram, @mcd_intl_art.

I will also release newsletters about two to three times per year with updates about units of study and art events in the community. These should reach you through PTA and principal news.

Q: Do you need parent volunteers?

Yes! Help and involvement is always appreciated, especially in the spring when we start gearing up for our art show. All volunteers must fill out the appropriate paperwork with the office before volunteering in the art studio. When you become an approved volunteer, please contact me at asrengli@seattleschools.org and I can send you the Sign Up Genius so you can plan your volunteer schedule.